Pattie Mallette was told to abort her baby at the age of 17. Despite not having the answers for how she could raise a baby, and despite a difficult situation in which she struggled with drugs and alcohol, having endured a situation that included sexual abuse, Mallette was determined to make it through her pregnancy.

Mallette is Justin Bieber’s mother.

In an interview with Today’s Kathie Lee Gifford due to air this week, Mallette gives a surprisingly candid account of why she opposed suggestions to abort her baby, gave birth, and ultimately raised one of the most powerful celebrities in the world.

Prior to becoming pregnant, Mallette suffered sexual abuse, a subject she discusses in her new book, “Nowhere But Up: The Story of Justin Bieber’s Mom.” Of that abuse, Mallette told Gifford, “I’ve learned it’s normal and natural for anybody who’s been through sexual abuse to carry that shame and that blame and feel like there’s something wrong with you. So I definitely carried that.”

The shame was so much Mallette attempted to kill herself. She told Gifford that the suicide attempt was “a culmination of, you know, built up over the years with the abuse and the pain and at the time I was messed up with all the drugs and alcohol. I was in a depression and the drugs and alcohol kind of spurred that on some more.”

By the age of 17, Mallette became pregnant with Justin, and at the time, she was encouraged to abort the baby. Of course, Mallette said that was an option she couldn’t consider. “I just knew I couldn’t. I just knew I couldn’t. I just know I had to keep him,” she told Gifford. “And, do the best. I — you know, I didn’t know how I was going to do it. But I just knew that I couldn’t — I couldn’t abort. I had to do my best. I had to see what I could do. And I was determined to do whatever it took.”

Mallette went on to say that the first time she heard her son cry, it was literally music to her ears. “I know this sounds crazy, but he sounded like he was singing. He did,” she said. “It was like this, like, ‘A hah, a hah.’ And I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, it is so precious and amazing. I just want to squeeze him.’ “